The Sixth Gun #29

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

Two issues of The Sixth Gun, between this one and the beginning of its new spin-off mini-series, is quite a treat for one week.

This issue finishes off the 'Winter Wolves' arc, which really ended last month, as Drake and Becky meet up with their friend Gord Cantrell, who played a large role in rescuing them from their wintry fate.  They are not too happy to see who Gord's traveling companions are, as they both have some bad history with Kirby Hale and Asher Cobb.

Now that the band is all back together, they figure that it's time to go after Missy Hume, the widow of General Hume, and the only other person to possess one of the Six Guns.  Becky decides to pay a visit to Missy herself, using her gun's special abilities.  This in turn leads Missy to visit a potential ally, promising that this series is going to continue to ramp up in intensity.

Bunn and Hurtt have put together a very consistently enjoyable series, and that continues to be true.  It looks like the next story arc, 'Ghost Dance' is going to feature Native American characters, and not simply rely on their mythology, as has been the case numerous times over the course of the series.  I've really been enjoying the way that Bunn has woven mystical aspects into the traditional Western setting, and so the addition of "Indians" is more than welcome.

The Sixth Gun: Sons of the Gun #1

Written by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt
Art by Brian Churilla

The Sixth Gun is one of my favourite independent titles, which delivers a steady fix of mystical Western adventure.  I was a little surprised to see that the title was spawning a mini-series, Sons of the Gun.

This new title, co-written by regular series writer Cullen Bunn and artist Brian Hurtt, is focussed on the original owners of The Six, a set of magical six-shooters that each have a different ability.  These guns were brought into the world by the Confederate General Hume, who was the main villain in the series's first arc, and were spread between his henchmen.  Eventually, Hume was captured and imprisoned.

This issue is about Bloodthirsty Bill, who has the first gun, which is as strong as a cannon.  When we first meet him, he's close to death in a desert, but is soon saved by a group of thieves led by a man named Pagan Sam, who does some business with the Pinkertons, and is going about collecting mystical artifacts.

I found this issue a little slow in getting started, but it eventually delivered the same general feel of the main series.  Brian Churilla, fresh off the excellent Secret History of D.B. Cooper, provides the art.  Churilla is a great artist, and while this story doesn't give him the same chances to cut loose as Cooper did, he does a fine job of sticking to the look that Hurtt established for this title.

The Sixth Gun #28

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

This is one of those times where, because a series is in the middle of its arc, it's kind of difficult to find anything new to say about it.  Lately, the cast of The Sixth Gun have been spread all over the place, and it's taken Cullen Bunn a long time to manoeuvre them back together.

Series frontrunners Drake Sinclair and Becky Moncrief have been trapped in another world, like a pocket dimension, where a malevolent Wendigo spirit has decided to hold them until they die, so that it can, it claims, keep The Six out of the world.  Drake has been possessed by this spirit, and now Becky must decide if she can kill him or save him.

Their friend, Gord Cantrell, has gathered up the undead mummy Asher Cobb, and the duplicitous gunfighter Kirby Hale, and they are trying to find the other two.  They are being pursued by the Sword of Abraham, who have their own plans for The Six, the guns that Drake and Becky carry.

This is, as always, a very good issue of The Sixth Gun.  Bunn's increasingly busy writing schedule at Marvel has done nothing to hurt the quality of this title, and Hurtt continues to knock each and every issue out of the park.  My wish is that many of the people who are enjoying his Marvel work will check this comic out, because it is quite remarkable.

The Sixth Gun #27

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

The Sixth Gun is a terrific comics series, and one reason why that is the case is because of the level of self-doubt and uncertainty that Cullen Bunn has written into his characters.  Drake Sinclair, who is more or less the main character of this book, is not the sort of person you would immediately choose as the guardian of something as deadly as The Six-  a collection of mystical six-shooters that together can usher in the end of the world.

In this latest arc, 'Winter Wolves', Drake and his companion Becky (the owner of the titular sixth, and most powerful, gun) have found themselves trapped in a winter reality, held captive by a Wendigo that is anchored in the bodies of a group of women and children from a nearby fort.  The usual way to kill a Wendigo is to kill the hosts, who are basically comatose while it wanders.  Drake is not one to kill defenceless and innocent kids, and he makes the mistake of engaging the spirit in conversation, with results that I didn't really expect (the scene where the extreme cold takes its toll on Drake's hand is chilling on many levels).

While this is going on, Drake and Becky's friend Gord Cantrell continues to travel with the undead mummy Asher Cobb, and the lying gunman Kirby Hale.  These three have an interesting conversation of their own, as they each admit to wanting The Six for different purposes.  Whatever happens when they find Drake, Becky, and the guns, should be pretty interesting.

Brian Hurtt continues to make this book look terrific, as Bunn continues to spin out a very compelling story.  I know that Bunn is getting more and more work at Marvel these days, but I'm happiest to see him continue with this title for some time to come.

The Sixth Gun #26

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

It's often difficult to find much to say about issues that take place in the middle of an arc.  The Sixth Gun is a terrific book, that does not get as much attention and accolades as it deserves.  It's set in the late 19th Century, in an America that is not unfamiliar with magic and the supernatural.

The book centres on Drake Sinclair, a former gun for hire, and Becky Montcrief, a former simple farm girl.  These two, between them, possess five of a group of six mystical pistols that each have a separate magical ability (one rots its victims, another shoots fire, and so on).  They are being pursued by any number of foes and opportunists, although at the moment, they are trapped in a wintry land by a Wendigo spirit.  In this issue, Drake reveals a story about the time he last encountered a Wendigo, and we learn the truth about the creature's nature, and how to kill it.

While they are hunting for the creature, their friend Gord Cantrell is looking to find them.  He's joined up with the lying gunman Kirby Hale, and the nine-foot tall mummy Asher Cobb.  They are being pursued by the Sword of Abraham, another group who want control over the guns.

This series is fast-paced, exciting, and excellently drawn.  I love how Bunn weaves a variety of traditional beliefs about the supernatural into the narrative, and I always look forward to the next issue.

The Sixth Gun #25

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

There's a real sense of things converging in this latest issue of The Sixth Gun.  Drake and Becky are trapped in a vicious snowstorm that has kept them holed up a decrepit fort.  Their friend, Gord Cantrell is looking for them, and he meets up with Kirby Hale on his voyage (and the two do a good re-enactment of the cantina scene from Star Wars), and Asher Cobb, the giant mummy.  The Sword of Abraham are looking for them all as well.

So while all these groups are meeting up, Drake is more at a loss as to what to do next than we've ever seen him.  It's unfortunate that it takes an attack by a gigantic wolf spirit to shake him back into action.

I like the way that Cullen Bunn has woven Aboriginal mythology into this comic.  Earlier, we saw a Thunderbird, and now, we're getting a Wendigo.  I always like when indigenous culture is represented respectfully in comics.

Bunn continues to impress on this book in a way that none of his work at Marvel has, adding weight to the argument that creator-owned comics benefit from being a labour of love in ways that work for hire never does.  Brian Hurtt, as always, is amazing.

The Sixth Gun #24

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

I think right off the bat it's important to confess that I have had a weakness for the mostly-white cover ever since I bought Alpha Flight #6 back in my pre-teen days.  I find they are even more effective, now that technology is such that the inside cover doesn't bleed through...

Anyway, this is a gorgeous cover by Brian Hurtt, which leads to yet another amazing issue of The Sixth Gun, one of my favourite creator-owned on-going series.  This issue marks the beginning of a new story arc, 'Winter Wolves', which opens by checking in with a number of characters we haven't seen for a little while.

The members of the Sword of Abraham are having a restless night, as General Hume, whose corpse they keep prisoner in their cellar, is stirring again, and when his body is confronted, he delivers a fair amount of foreshadowing, while also revealing that the Widow Hume has a different relationship to him than we expected.

Gord Cantrell shows up in these pages again, searching for his friends.  It looks like he's being followed though, so expect that when he finds them, bad things will happen.

From there, the story shifts back to the people that Gord is looking for - Drake Sinclair and Becky Montcrief.  Having escaped from the strange predicaments of the last few issues, they have decided that they should no longer hide from the Widow Hume, but should instead confront her.  Before doing that though, Drake wants to pick up some allies at a place called Fort Treadwell.  Journeying there though, they run into problems as they are suddenly swallowed up by deepest winter and surrounded by wolves.

This is a good issue in a very good series.  Cullen Bunn's name has been showing up all over the place at Marvel lately, and while some of his work there is very fine, he is similar to other recent up-and-comers at the company (Jason Aaron, Rick Remender, and Kieron Gillen all come to mind) in that his creator-owned work is much, much better.

The Sixth Gun #22

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

After last month's silent issue, Cullen Bunn slows things down a little this month, as Becky and Drake continue their escape from the Knights of Solomon.  Drake gets his shot at revenge on the Knight that has been torturing him for the last couple of issues, but he is chilled by some of the implications of what he has learned while in captivity.

Last month there was a large image in the Knights' library of what looked to be a soldier.  This issue, Bunn suggests that that was an image of Drake himself, as we also receive some hints as to the reality-altering abilities of the six guns when brought together.

This has been a terrific series since its inception, and it seems that it's not slowing down at all.  There is a bit of a surprise at the end of the issue, and the cover of the next promises the return of a character we haven't seen in a while.  I'm not sure how long Bunn and Hurtt intend for this series to run, but it feels like they are moving towards some bigger things.  Personally, I hope that there is a nice long run to come, as I really enjoy my monthly dose of Hurtt's excellent artwork.

The Sixth Gun #21

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

I've been an admirer of The Sixth Gun since the series began, a couple of Free Comic Book Days ago, but I don't know if any single issue has ever stood out the way this one does.

In the 'A Town Called Penance' arc, Cullen Bunn has had Becky Montcrief, the wielder of the 'sixth gun' travel to the very bizarre twin towns of Penance and New Penance to try to rescue her friend (and wielder of four of the other five guns) Drake Sinclair from his old compatriots in the Knights of Solomon, who are holding him in a gigantic underground cavern they have made their home base.

This issue, Becky makes her way underground to rescue him.  The entire issue is silent - there is no narration or dialogue at all, and the entire comic is filled with action, as Becky fights her way to Drake, and together, they try to fight their way back out. 

The decision to leave out any dialogue works well for this issue - think of any of the dialogue in any big action sequence, and it's all pretty obvious and therefore unnecessary stuff.  This way, the entirety of each page forces the reader to focus on just how incredible an artist Brian Hurtt is.  The cavern where the Knights live is made up of snaking gangplanks and buildings on stilts - there are few direct paths, and the entire thing is poised over deep water inhabited by strange tentacled creatures that protect one of the seals like the one seen back at the very beginning of this series.  It feels like Hurtt has worked out a model of how this environment, which is more three-dimensional than most in a large action sequence, is laid out, and he makes ingenious use of falling stalactites to add more drama to the sequence.

The only place where I would have liked a little narration would have been when Becky and Drake find themselves in a room that looks like a library, with a large image of a Knight of Solomon, simply because I'm curious to understand this group better.

I can not wait to see what happens next in this comic.

The Sixth Gun #20

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

It can be difficult to find something new to say about this comic, which month after month delivers a well-written story with good art.

In this issue, Becky Montcrief finds herself in the middle of a huge gunfight between the two towns of Penance.  The locals are fighting over a tainted well, and they've all undergone some form of mutation or change because of it, which makes the fight very visually interesting (especially when the guy who was going to force Becky to drink the water last issue decides to use all of his arms).  There is also a strong reminder of what happens when someone other than Becky tries to hold her gun.

While this is happening, Drake Sinclair, the man Becky has come to rescue, is being tortured at the hands of the Knights of Solomon.  The man torturing him isn't looking for any information, he's simply extracting revenge, although what exactly for is kept unclear.

One of the things that's helped to make this comic so effective is that Drake, the hero of the comic, has been kept shrouded in mystery.  We know that he is not a good person, but we are not often given evidence of this.  I like the way each new arc helps build the story; I presume that Bunn has an ending in mind for this series, but I don't get the feeling that we are anywhere near it.

The Sixth Gun #19

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

It gets hard to find new things to say about a series as consistently good as The Sixth Gun, especially when it is in the middle of a story arc, as this issue is.

Becky Moncrief has come to the strange and disturbing town of Penance to try to find and rescue her friend and fellow adventurer Drake Sinclair, who has been abducted by his former confederates in the Knights of Solomon.  Becky is often easily manipulated in this series, as when the sheriff of the town sends her to another settlement, which we learn is the real town of Penance.

It seems there's something in the water in these parts, which explains why just about everybody in both places look like they'd be perfectly at home in a circus sideshow.  Beyond that, we learn a little more about Drake's situation, as he tries to convince his captors of his good intentions towards them.

Cullen Bunn takes his time in spinning out his stories in this series, and that works very well here.  There is a sense of menace and distrust throughout this issue, and it works well as a horror comic.  Brian Hurtt's created some disturbing characters in his day, but the bearded lady in the pink dress in this issue is haunting.

The Sixth Gun #18

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

I was pleased to see the news that Sixth Gun writer Cullen Bunn will be writing Wolverine after Jason Aaron leaves the title in a few months.  Bunn has really proven himself on The Sixth Gun as a writer of long-form stories that are creative in their treatment of familiar story elements and genre tropes, and, if Marvel's editors let him do his work, I'm sure we'll be seeing some interesting things happening with everyone's favourite X-Men.

This issue of The Sixth Gun starts a new arc, 'A Town Called Penance', and it deals with the missing Drake Sinclair.  When last we saw Sinclair, he'd fallen off a train after fighting a gigantic mummy.  Now we know that he was abducted by a trio of men we don't know much about, and has been held prisoner ever since, being interrogated about the whereabouts of the four magic guns he'd had in his possession.

Becky Montcrief, the possessor of the sixth gun (the fifth one is somewhere else), knows that Drake is somewhere in or around a town called Penance, and she has journeyed there to start looking for her.  Penance seems like a strange place - more desolate and scabrous than any town Jonah Hex ends up in.  The town dogs have tumors growing all over their body, and the only person who seems even a little nice, a stableboy, has the worst case of acne seen in comics this side of a Robert Crumb character.

I like how Bunn is building up mystery in this issue by playing most everything close to the chest.  Brian Hurtt has done terrific work on this title throughout, but I love his shots of the town and of the underground cavern.  This is a great series.

The Sixth Gun #17

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

Cullen Bunn has done a remarkable job crafting the story in this series.  He's taken what started out as being a mystical western comic, and shaped it into a story structured around ancient evils, and the orders that exist to combat or serve them.  In addition to the Sword of Abraham, a group of priests who have been working to keep the six guns under their control, and to stop the spread of evil, in this issue we first learn about the Knights of Solomon, an old order that exists to use the guns (or whatever they were in previous incarnations) for their own means.

Becky, the possessor of the sixth gun, is determined to go looking for Drake Sinclair, her friend and the possessor of the other five weapons.  The Sword does not want her to leave, and are basically keeping her prisoner in their keep.  Luckily, an old friend shows up to help her.

While this is going on, Gord Cantrell continues to face his own demons, or more accurately, ghosts.  He has an opportunity to bring his wife and children back to life, but for that to happen, he'll have to burn the books that offer him the only chance he has at destroying the six guns.  Gord's an interesting character, and it's interesting watching his conflict with himself (both literally and figuratively) over this issue.

This is an excellent comic.  Bunn keeps the story moving nicely, and Hurtt's doing the best work of his career.

The Sixth Gun #16

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

As much as I enjoy The Sixth Gun, I'm starting to feel like this arc is dragging a little too much.  Drake Sinclair, the main character of this comic, has been missing for a few months now, and without him, things are kind of grinding to a halt, as the supporting characters have a few conversations with important people from their pasts.

Becky Montcrief, who is the owner of the titular sixth gun has a strange chat with her stepfather.  He's not a spirit, it's more like he's speaking to her through time, and gives her a few pointed warnings about how to handle the gun, and who she can trust (basically no one).

Last issue, we saw Gord Cantrell return to the plantation where he grew up, and interact with a number of spirits who seem to inhabit the place, including the ghosts of his family.  Now, we as an audience learn how his family died in the first place, as Gord learns that he could bring them back.

All of the things that happened in this issue are important, and I imagine will be revisited time and again in the issues to come.  Like many a series in the middle of an arc, it feels like it's grinding along and could use a bit of oil, but this is still one of the better comics on the stands.

The Sixth Gun #15

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

It's often difficult to write about a comic once its most recent story arc has reached the half-way point, as the story is usually firmly established, and there's nothing much new to say.  Bound, the current storyline in The Sixth Gun defies that.  Last issue it focused exclusively on a new character, filling in his back story and providing him with motivation.  I thought it was an interlude issue, and was surprised to see that it counted as the third chapter of this story.

Now, we get the fourth chapter, and that same sense of interlude-ness permeates the book, although in a different way.  The issue opens on Gord Cantrell, who we haven't seen for a while.  He's returning to the plantation where he grew up a slave, and Bunn and Hurtt make his scenes in the book particularly interesting.  The plantation is deserted and slowly rotting away when Gord arrives, and then is suddenly brought to life, populated by all the people that Gord remembers from childhood, including his former master.  I love the way Hurtt changes the backgrounds depending on where Gord is looking - when he is gazing at something, it's shown as vibrant and alive, while everything behind him is decaying.

The rest of the book is given over to Becky Montcrief, the owner of the titular sixth gun.  She's under the protection of the Sword of Abraham, who have taken her to their stronghold.  She's concerned that the gun won't show her anything of what became of Drake Sinclair two issues ago, and it's not long before she starts seeing ghosts of her own.  I'm very curious to learn more about the Sword of Abraham.  The character we've seen the most from this order is portrayed as a priest, yet we clearly see Muslims praying on the grounds.  I hope that this group's history is explored in more detail soon.

As always, this is an excellent issue of an excellent series.

The Sixth Gun #14

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Tyler Crook

Talk about coming from nowhere.  A couple of months ago, I'd never seen anything by Tyler Crook.  Now, he's popping up all over the place, landing the job as Guy Davis's replacement on BPRD, and having his original graphic novel, Petrograd, come out at the same time.  Now, he's guest artisted this issue of The Sixth Gun.

This is an interlude issue, telling the story of Asher Cobb, the seven-foot mummy that fought Drake Sinclair last issue.  We learn, through the framing sequence of a discussion at a freak show, how Asher came into the world, and the sad story that led to his eventual mummification and undead status.

Bunn has worked hard to create a solid Western mythology in the Sixth Gun world, and this issue helps strengthen that foundation.  Asher's birth was peculiar, as was his appearance and abilities that echo the ones granted by the gun in Becky Moncrief's possession.

Crook's art looks great here.  His style is different enough from regular artist Brian Hurtt that this issue will stand out in a trade, but he also sticks to the basics of this series, and works within the visual milieu that Hurtt has established.  This is always an impressive series (especially when compared to Bunn's recent work at Marvel).

The Sixth Gun #13

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

Train heists are a lot of fun. It's easy to see the appeal of train robbery movies - the speed, the constant danger of falling, the cluelessness of conductors who don't slow down or simply uncouple wrecked cars...  Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt bring all the excitement of a train heist - with zombies and a mummy, no less - to comics in a way that makes it just as thrilling as any film.

Our two heroes, Drake Sinclair and Becky Moncrief, traveling with the Sword or Abraham group, came under attack from the zombies last issue.  Drake is trying to take the body of General Hume someplace safe, while his widow is trying to retrieve it, hence the zombies.  This entire issue is taken up with the fight (the mummy shows up right at the beginning), and it's all very cool.

I especially like that Drake, who has a pretty shady past and is relatively new to the hero game, knew the mummy in his former life.  The issue ends with a couple of surprises, and leaves us in a place where it's hard to tell what's going to happen next.

Cullen Bunn is beginning to get a fair amount of attention from Marvel.  I've found his Fear Itself: The Deep to be a disappointment, but it appears that he's going to be involved in the post-Fear Itself book.  Like Jonathan Hickman and Jason Aaron before him, his independent work is better than his pay for hire work.  Jump on this now, and if he becomes really popular, you can always say you've been following him for ages.  Comics fans love doing that, right?  You won't be sorry.

The Sixth Gun #12

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

The Sixth Gun is one of the best independent comics on the stands these days.  With this issue, the series embarks on its third story arc, 'Bound'.  In this issue, which is an excellent jumping-on point for new readers, the widow of General Hume, the main villain of the first arc, makes her reappearance.  She is trying to track down our heroes, Drake Sinclair and Becky Montcrief, who between them possess five of the six guns.  She has information that they are traveling by train, with the guns and with the remains of her husband.  She sends an agent to deal with them, and he reanimates a local gang of train robbers to do the job.

This issue is nicely balanced between the action sequences with the corpses attacking the train and some quieter scenes involving Sinclair, Becky, and the Sword of Abraham leader Brother Roberto.  We still don't know much about this organization of weapon-wielding priests who have such an interest in the guns, and I hope we learn more as this arc progresses.

As always, The Sixth Gun is a nice blend of Western and occult, with terrific art and strong characterizations.  As this is such a good place to jump onto the story, I suggest you give it a try if you aren't already reading it.

The Sixth Gun #11

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

The second story arc ends with this issue, as a number of forces searching for the guns collide in the cemetery where Drake has hidden them.  Kirby Hale, the would-be thief has made off with the guns, but at the same time, a number of priests from the Sword of Abraham arrive, as does Marinette of the Dry Arms, a loa who resides around New Orleans.

This is a pretty exciting issue, as Drake and his friends fight to reclaim the powerful weapons.  It also sets up the next story arc very nicely, as some of our heroes decide to remain with the Sword of Abraham.  I'm curious to learn more about this group, which once counted Becky's step-father among its number.

The Sixth Gun surprised me when it became an on-going series.  I saw it as more of an infrequent new mini-series kind of title, but I've been very pleased with Bunn and Hurtt's ability to maintain a monthly schedule, and turn out a very good comic on such a regular basis.  I hope that things don't start slipping as Bunn seems to be getting more and more work at Marvel (I don't want it to go the way of Oni's other amazing series, Wasteland, which has basically disappeared).

This book has a lot of interesting characters, and I love the way that Bunn is building this world.  Hurtt's work on this comic is incredible.

The Sixth Gun #10

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Brian Hurtt

Well, I guess Drake didn't do as good a job of hiding the guns as he thought he did, as they change hands a couple of times in this issue.  Kirby Hale, the gunslinger and new beau for Becky has been revealed as someone who can't be trusted, and Woodmael, the servant to Henri Fournier gets taken over by a Loa.

In other words, things aren't looking too good for Drake and his friends, as this arc kicks into high gear.  The Sixth Gun is a very cool series, with an ever-growing cast.  I like how Bunn is slowly explaining the role of the supernatural in his world, and how each new issue introduces a new story element.

Hurtt's art in this series is terrific.  It's worth checking this book out if you aren't already reading it.